My hideout place in this funny world...

Maybe-not-really-20-something-anymore from Norway who likes to scrapbook and take photos documentarystyle and dreams of photojournalism when not working as a photojournalist and that's pretty much what this blog is about. And I like it this way.

I love how a cute double-sided paper (and a scrap one at it) and a tag can make such a quick and great card in a snap. All I did was folding the scrap, punching out a butterfly & inking and decorating it with bling and then adhere the tag to the card with 3d foam. Paper from Fancy Pants Designs.

I tried my hands on a simple layout this month. Not sure if it worked out that well, hm. Used lots of tags, rubons and scraps (the paper and rubons ones are from Crate Paper).

Then yet a simple & elegant CD-card. Paper from Fancy Pants Designs. Not much to report from here. Ping-ponging between different projects at home atm – I have roughly three things on my to-do-list, both academic & scrapbook-related ones, and every time I sit down to do one, I get the urge to get up and do one of the other ones on the list instead. Rinse & repeat after every 5 minutes or less. Ahwell. At least I get a little done here and there, uh? Eh. Right. Just need to manage to finish them too I guess.

This is a card I created for Fancy Pants Designs’ productspotlight on the “Like Father Like Son”-cards (the paper, that is). The line is, as the name says, excellent for working on masculine stuff with, and we all know that it’s rare when it comes to scrapbooking & products. At least that’s the impression I personally have.

Here’s a peek on one of the classes I’ll teach at PACS – the minialbum-one. Its mainsponsors will be Elle’s Studio and 3ndypapir. And hey, notice my fancy nail? Amalie insisted on decorating my nails with her makeup-plaything.

The days are filled with lots of reading (it’s true!), lectures, thinking about my thesis/paper (I’m not quite sure which word is right?), freelancing and – when time allows – scrapbooking. Oh, and if you’ve been wondering why I’m not available at my cellphone for the moment being (come on, you’ve been wondering *cough* ;p) – you can read all about it at my other blog here (in Norwegian).

While (attempting to) cleaning up my scrapdesk, I came across Amalies hair, cut in 2008. Um yeah. I’ve been intending to scrap it for about two years. Figured – mkay – I oughta do something about it (and have one less crap on my desk) – and used Pencil-Lines sketch #201 to create this layout. It was a twopager, and I guess I oughta take on the challenge to do a twopager soon (it’s not really that difficult, just…not me I guess), but I just smooshed the sketch into this onepager. The bag the hair is in comes from Scrapbook Adhesives by the way – Keepsake Envelopes.

For the sketch Pencil-Lines collaborated with Color Combos Galore, and we got this colorcombo to use.

I also had these black and white photos stored in my (too thick) photobook w/preprinted photos I haven’t gotten around to scrap yet. Yay. Less photos in that book too!

This tag is one of my faves from Elle’s Studio – date & place tags. Perfect for about anything needing datestuff added to. Notice the glittertransparency? It’s a frame from Fancy Pants, a bit too large for my usual scrapping, but I thought it was perfect used like this for this sketch.

After much contemplating, I created a new blog. I’ve mentioned earlier that I would love to practice my writing, but I haven’t felt that this blog was the right place to do it on. Besides, most of the writing would have to be in Norwegian (although I probably might do a few texts at English as well). The thought is to gather small text – some observations, petites, attempts at novelettes and so on at that place. I’ve called it Tekster i fritt fall.

It has come to my attention that not everybody have been able to obtain the PDF-file w/the class for this minialbum. The mainreason for this is probably that you need a googleaccount to be able to view/download it, and while it’s fast and free to register for a googleaccount, not everybody wants to bother doing that first. I’ve therefore put it up at a filesharing-server, so you can download it from there too (you have to wait 20 secs before being able to click download). Remember – if you do this class (use the techniques to create a mini or a layout) before Sept 4th, sign up for a chance at The Studio blog on the giveawayprize from Elle’s Studio! See prize below:

I dunno when it’ll be up – but do check their site cause they’re having classes and challenges all day today, Saturday. Update:It’s now up! Do download the class instead of viewing it on the web, the quality of the images will be much better on your own pc (at least it is for me, dunno why, maybe it’s the browser?).

In this class, which’ll also be available as PDF, I’ll be explaining how I was thinking and different step-by-step methods for recreating a similar minibook :) Oh, and there’ll be a giveaway by Elle’s Studio to accompany this class…..:) (Thanks Elle, you’re the best! :) )

Speaking of classes and Elle’s Studio, do drop by their blog – they have a hugeass (sorry the wording ;p) class on journaling running almost whole this month, how to go on about it and why it’s so important for your layouts….awesome thoughts and tips to be learned for sure (and a few giveaways here and there too ;) )!

As for other scrappy news:

3ndypapir has a brand new Epla-store where you can purchase papers directly from 3ndypapir if your local scrapbookstore doesn’t have them in their inventory.

Elle’s Studio recently released these two awesome digitag-elements – shown above is the “In the moment journaling”-tags.

The first day at the University went well. It was just an infomeeting – and although I am not required to take/follow any of the classes offered for the Masters Degree (as I have been through all the obligatory classes years back, and thus can just start on my thesis straight away), I found two utterly interesting classes I am fairly sure I just have to follow (one on media economy (useful!) and another on media reception & understanding the audiences (this is a practical one, and I believe I’ll learn much about politics & the system which should prove useful for future reference) in addition to a refreshment-course on the basics of writing a thesis. Oh, and I want to volunteer at quite a few places. Ugh. So little time, so much I want to do! We’ll see…honestly, I should just start on my thesis straight away and focus on that and that only, but…..

I’ll wrap up with a few more images from the minialbum I created for The Studio’s SummerCybercrop. Remember to drop by them to see the tutorial in its whole!

Remember Marens wedding (pictures here and here)? I have had these photos printed out ever since then, but never gotten around to actually scrap them – I just didn’t really find the perfect papers or project that I wanted to use these photos for. Until I received the newest DT-box from Pink Paislee. Hello Sweetness and Parisan Anthology!

I quickly figured I had to scrap the photos for the Take Five Friday-post, up sometime today at the Pink Paislee-blog. And oh, look at the size of that bling!! Lovesit!!

Cute little hearts – happy leftovers from snipping the banners haha :) (for one moment I didn’t quite understand why there were tiny small hearts attached to my scissors…I know, I’m slow :p) Mmm love playing with the resist-patterns on the Parisan Anthology-papers! Sprayed glimmermist (jazz blue) on the paper, waited until dry then wiped over with a slightly damp towel to make the patterns show better :)

The product-spotlight on “Wishful Thinking strips paper” for Fancy Pants Designs was posted yesterday. Here’s my contribution, using papers and stickers from “Wishful thinking”, tag from “Road Show” and journalingthingie (used as a photomat here) from “Little Sprout”. Truth to be told I do my best to shy away from stuff with quotes for my layouts – mainly because they don’t really appeal to me the same way as they probably do native English-speaking scrapbookers. But for this kind of layout I figured it would be perfect. I originally intended to let the bottom part of the layout stay pretty white space-ish, but when seeing this tag and wanting to use it I didn’t have anywhere else to put it than there :p

Today’s my first day at school University. I gotta admit I’m slightly excited :p Ready for round 2 (I keep telling myself I’m more mature and ready to work at the masters degree now *cough* You know, if you keep saying that often enough it’ll turn true, won’t it?)! :)

Aw. Had my last day at work on Friday, made them kladdkaka (kinda Swedish version of the brownie) baked in the microwave (surprisingly yummy – never tried that method before – but didn’t have an oven at work, only a micro, and it’s best eaten warm imo) along with ice-cream.. got farewell-pressies (among them this photobook, Traktorland, which I’m truly looking forward to look in/read when time allows) and…well….simply didn’t get to wrap up everything I planned to wrap up before I left.

I’ll freelance for the paper, but suffice to say, it won’t be the same as being there every day, attending the morningmeetings, going through the last issue of the paper commenting what’s good and what’s bad and noting what editing mistakes we’ve done, what could have been done better, listening in to discussions on how to solve certain cases, having great colleagues around me (I’ll miss working with them), being told to just grab the camera and run for it (well ok, the latter – not too often – it’s a small & peaceful island we’re living at :P).

I’ve learned a lot the last year. And I still have a lot to learn. Some of the more or less useful things I think I’ve learned…that I can come to think of right now..

Always take more than two different motifs (ok, I have to admit – usually I’m ok/good at this, doing three or more diff. motifs – it sort of depends on the case, but yes – other times – uh, not so much) in case of followups/a case being put on the cover.

Always try to add generic photos/motifs the paper can use for their archive, especially of people like politicans and stuff…

Don’t frame too tight – allow room/air around the subject(s) in case of funny cropping/the title/headline being added to the photo (for covers).

One thing I wish I did more of – experiment w/the flash and/or the reflector. I still can’t get rid of the feeling that I need to be effective (and well, I do), which means fumbling with the flash, finding better locations, angles, etc – it usually makes me nervous, it makes me think the subjects wishes me to just get done with it….hm…yeah.

I’m still a docuphotographer at heart. I love it when I’m allowed to just focus on documenting the events unfolding, whatever it may be. I also feel this is where my strength as a photographer lies. Being able to snap on the fly, no matter what location, lightsituation or whatever – I deal with it and it usually goes well (not without some internal cursing though ;p). I’m trying to think more of the composition when snapping, but when having the choice between perfect composition and capturing the right moment – I chose the latter. But I’m practicing!

I don’t like intruding. Or feeling like I’m intruding. (Which’s not too good if I want to be a real pressphotog, I guess, because you might be faced with situations where you just have to do your job. And I will. Just won’t enjoy it I guess.) I’m usually more like – “ok, I need to move around this”, when in some cases it’s actually ok for me to tell the subjects to please mind the camera or whatever. I’m sure I can work more with myself regarding this.

Also linked to the above: I’m more of an observer. At the local festival recently, Lost Weekend, I several times watched another photog…hm…instructing his subjects to be more… "RAWR” sorta, encouraging them to be more wild, act out, for the camera. I understand it makes for a more exiting and fun motif, but personally, I’m not there – yet? I think it’s fun when people approach me and wants me to take their photos, and maybe act out for me on their own initiative, and I’d usually laugh encouraging, but to act the way I got the feeling the other photog was acting? I dunno. Different ways of working for sure, and hey, it worked for him.

I do however, need to practice and get better at how to interact and make my subjects at ease and help them out when they actually ask me “how do you want me to be” for the photos. It can’t be that hard (??), but I still haven’t mastered that (far from it) and it sucks! :p

For “boring” stuff like, need subject in front of whatever (s)he’s talking about, I tend to have one thing/motif I’m leaning against, a safe thing. Especially when I’m just sent out to snap the photo alone, because the journalist already interviewed him/her over the phone – meaning I can’t get a photo of the subject during the talking which usually gives a more natural photo. I dunno. I should try mix it up, try different things.

I’ve become fairly good at looking at the environment and determining which ISO I need to use in order to be able to use the lowest acceptable shutterspeed and still get a good result. I still suck at determining the WB-environment, though. (Am ordering an Expodisc asap, hopefully it’ll be an asset in these situations).

I still need a better way to organize my photos – i.e. – I still take too darn many photos making it too difficult for me to be more effective when it comes to select photos for post-processing. I’ve been slightly better since FotoStation at work had this licenselimitation forcing us to have to delete lots of photos and stuff (just dupes/photos we wouldn’t use), making me take (sometimes) too few photos for most simple cases, but still…for events like Lost Weekend and stuff – ugh – took too many darn photos, spent too much time postprocessing figuring out what to delete, what to keep and what to actually postprocess… I’d love to have some seasoned photog to ask for advice and stuff – but the times where I’ve met other photogs it’s been..well, I’m too shy to actually ask or talk work…(besides…the one time I did attempt to, back in the beginning the first time I met another pressphotog at a location, the photog in question was pretty snappy making me feel stupid for even trying to ask/chat so I’ve been a bit wary since. BLeh. I’ve later learned he’s sorta just like that (maybe he’s as shy as me? cough), but still..). Nevertheless..this knowledge – of how to do the whole thing more efficient – is valuable for high-paced situations/workplaces and one I really need to learn.

I still need to practice spots/actionphotography more. I truly adore the 70-200mm lens, but let’s face it, it’s darn difficult to get the perfect closeup-shot of some footballer grimacing running around. Sorta. To hit the right focus spot on…which’s pretty important… sure, I’ll just do some not-so-close-shots, it’s much easier to do the focus right then, but I really want to master the closeupfocusmovingthingie! Same thing w/the panning-technique – I know how to do it (at least I believe I dp) – but still, it req. too many attempts before I’m happy w/the photo..

I love shooting at festivals/concerts! =)

Being a full-time photog is bad for personal shooting (at least it has for me) – I have so few photos of my own children from the last year – ugh!

I enjoy writing – and have been having fun writing most of the cases I’ve done for the paper. But I’ll be the first to admit it’s darn difficult to have to write and take photos at the same time, at least for me who wants to do well in both areas. Seriously, it does affect the quality of the whole package/finished product. For me, it has meant I’ve usually downgraded the photo-side of the story, focusing on the story/interviews/observations. So yes, all respect to those who have to deal with it every day (which means – pretty much all local newspaperjournalists and an alarmingly increasing number of journalists have to multitask these days – hey – you need to write, shoot, film, edit for photo & webcast and god knows what more these days), and especially those who manages to do both/multiple things splendidly. Hm. Yeah. More on that later maybe, as I’m toying with the thought of writing about this for my master thesis.

Seeing other newspapers seemingly having different views on what’s allowed/ok for editing photos..hm… I dunno. I know my photos could be cooler sorta if I was allowed to edit them differently. I think. Although yes I know – using flash makes lots of difference when used right and I could have been way better at that.

Hmmm..might look like I’m complaining about a lot of things, but believe me, I am not – I am merely trying to evaluate myself and what I have learned and hm…I know I am an above average photog (but really, it’s not that hard to actually try to learn the camera and the basic stuff now is it? which is merely what I’ve done sorta), but I also am aware I have so.much.more to learn. And I want to learn more!

Hm. Planned to share some scrappy stuff, but feel this post should be devoted to this only. Back later w/scrappy stuff! Busy editing weddingphotos (unfortunately I can’t share – bummer – lots of gorg photos! :p) & working on my PACS stuff..! Want to wrap’em all up before univ starts!

My minialbum-tutorial featuring the amazing Restoration-collection is now up at the Crate Paper-blog! Please do check it out – I worked hard for it! (okok, I just winged it, and surprisingly it turned out not too bad….have to make more of this kind of mini – first time I made one such like this one and I just guessed a lot hehe :) )

Here’s how it turned out…and there’s more images on the Crate blog :)

A quickie layout I made for Pencil-Lines sketch #199 (this Sunday = sketch #200!!) :) We were guested by Swedish Mahlin Wiggur, whose layout is simply stunning! I used kraft cardstock, Prima papers and flowers, Kraft Stickers and transparency from Hambly, a journaling tag from Elle’s Studio and letters from AdornIt and Luxe.

The travel details are being arranged as we speak, and I am starting to feel a slight tinge of excitement – if you’re around Paris, France by the end of November – why not drop by PACS (Paper & Co Show)? I’ll be teaching three different classes, as well as enjoying the other teachers’ classes there!

I’ve also made an own page for my design teams…I dunno if you’re “supposed” not to do so, but I felt like adding a few personal impressions/thoughts about the design teams I’m currently in, as well as quite a few of the ones from the past. I might tweak & edit it a bit more soon, but am happy for now. It’s an own page, and you can find it here (the static link is on the top of this blog by the way).

Been a bit “all about work” last week – but it was fun! The image above is one of my faves (the other fave is at work – didn’t upload it here at my homecomputer – but will put it up soon because I adore the photo so much…that’s The Cumshots’ lead singer Kristopher Schau above by the way…who’s quite the person in the public..doing…uh, lots of weird stuff.… he’s also a writer…I read his book last fall, and was positively surprised..) from Lost Weekend, the local festival which took place last week/end. Being a photographer at a festival is so much fun – the music is always great (there’s something about live music – or maybe all the bands really were that good :p)..it’s also a bit like entering a schoolyard with a camera and a badge saying you’re from the newspaper – all the kids (or in this example - the drunk people :p) immediately runs to you, wanting to have their pictures taken…..

Being allowed to enter the area between the scene and the audience to take photos of both the bands and the audience – now that’s fun. You’ll have to like having beer occasionally spilled all over you though, especially from the rock/heavymetal-audience, being grabbed from behind (the security were quick to reprimand those who did so..not that it helped much :p), patted on your head and having fingers and hands trying to cover your lenses while shooting (gee how fun). Oh, and you also have to watch out for the artists potentially spitting or throwing cigs or even jumping from the scene. Not to mention avoiding the other photogs at the same, small area trying to shoot the same things you do. Still. Loved it :) Wish I dared speak more to the other photogs, but…hey..we were busy at work I guess.. And I did get quite a few really nice pictures – feel free to check’em out at the newspaper. One of the toughest things I had to do was to weed out the photos and select only a few for the paper on web…not to mention picking out even less for the paper-version! Ugh! Hate!

Also shot the national junior-championship in track and field athletics. Now that’s slightly dangerous, as you try to get the shot of the athletics throwing stuff then you gotta reorient yourself, watch out in the air and avoid actually getting hit and stuff (I shot both the discus and hammer throws). Interesting experience nevertheless, and slightly fun getting to walk around the field with a “PHOTOG” waistcoat (like; “whee I’m in the photog club!”). Envious of those w/300mm and I think I even saw one w/the 500mm one too once?? :p

Ah, I’m gonna miss work…last week now…then a wedding to shoot…then….a few days off before the university starts :)

I did a post for Pink Paislee w/this layout. Hm. I have to admit I first didn’t like this layout, then I liked it, then now..I don’t. Ahwell. Sometimes I think I tend use too many papers, making the layout bit too busy. When I feel like that I usually strike back and do a real minimalist layout. Like to say: “Hah! Back at ya stupid layouts!”. Ok. I’ll shut up now before I sound more weird than I normally do ;p

I do like the details..

Just maybe..a bit too any different colors & patterns & stuff in the end? Jeje.

Been busy working on two completely different minialbums (in a row! Phew!One of them seen above). And they’re both tutorials! Look out for them coming sometime by the end of August methinks (they’re not for this blog, so I don’t control when they’ll be posted. I think.).

Supercute (for some reason I don’t really like to use the word(s) “supercute”, but this one really, really, really is) viral stuff: Mila’s Daydreams. Go check it out. So.Darn.Cute! (and creative!) I’d link double rainbow as well but that dude sounds….suspicious hahaha..*cough*

In other words. Juggling work (this week+esp weekend will be busy, with two main events happening at the same time. Not often that happens at our little island ;p), scrapbooking & playing StarCraft2. Oh, and reading. Summer’s always been when I actually get to read stuff (otherwise only when at airports/flights – I usually buy a new book when travelling :p), and this summer I’ve been enjoying Norwegian authors like Frode Grytten, Per Petterson and…uh, well, maybe not really enjoying, I dunno – Knausgård (have yet to finish the first book of “Min Kamp”. Kind of just drifted away. Hate unfinished business though so I’ll finish it sometime.). Oh, and while at Outland the other day I couldn’t not buy this book - “Stories” – an anthology edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio. Have read four short stories so far and am loving the tales for their delightful quirkiness and great love for storytelling.

Sigh. So little time. So much I want to do.

Oh. I don’t think I’ve mentioned it here before. I have two more weeks left at work, before I’ll leave them for the University to start work on my M.A. degree. I started on it years ago, but never finished due to various circumstances. Guess it’s time to pick up the pieces now. I’ve promised I’d freelance for them though (work that is – I work as a photojournalist). And I don’t mind, I find it too much fun to not do so :) And I have a couple projects on the side which I hope will develop into longer stories later on.